


Tantalus

by havocthecat



Series: Lantean Hive [6]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-11-28
Updated: 2007-11-28
Packaged: 2017-10-05 00:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havocthecat/pseuds/havocthecat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Story was originally posted <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/lantean_hive/3843.html">here</a> on LJ.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Tantalus

**Author's Note:**

> Story was originally posted [here](http://community.livejournal.com/lantean_hive/3843.html) on LJ.

Christopher Kavanagh is locked into one of Atlantis' secondary control rooms. His laptop is hooked into the systems, even though there's no access, and he's typing furiously. He knows his face is set. His jaw is clenched tight, from stress, and he can't get to Dr. Beckett for muscle relaxants. He knows he's got a tendency toward migraines, he takes care of it, but he's got a throbbing headache from clenching his jaw.

"They're mutinying," he mutters, because it's the only reasonable explanation. "Mutinying against Earth, because that _woman_ is megalomaniacal." He's hated her ever since she ripped him to shreds right there in the control tower. It's because of that incident that he can't get any respect, not from the marines, or the other scientists. Not from anyone, and he blames Weir.

All the back doors he knows from Kusanagi are closed up now, and so are the clunky attempts at programming that Cadman kludged in. All the recent server activity has the look of code written by either McKay or Zelenka. "What are you people doing?" asks Christopher.

He doesn't put the use of Ancient mind control technology past Weir. She's weak. She's not able to control the city without the use of bullies in military uniforms. She's gone beyond that, now, probably in collusion with Sheppard and those two Pegasus natives.

The radio crackles, and Christopher jumps, then settles back down and glances around, even though there's no one to see him. He lets out a deep breath as the radio crackles again, then lets out a hiss of static.

"Kavanagh, could you possibly be a more incompetent idiot?" snaps McKay. The tone is as petty as usual, but something's different. McKay's voice is rusty. It grates on Christopher's nerves more than it usually does. "Open the door so we can help you."

"I've pulled the control crystals on this side, McKay," says Christopher. He knows better. He rewired the doors so he could shove them open. "And welded the doors shut."

Mocking feminine laughter comes across his radio link. "Told you he was gonna be a dick," says Cadman, and it sounds like she's forcing every word past sharp glass.

"I'm not aiding and abetting the Atlantis personnel who have decided to break from Earth," says Christopher. "I'm preparing a full report for the IOA."

This time, Cadman and McKay both laugh. Christopher frowns, barely resisting the urge to grind his teeth together. He's never heard McKay laugh before, so there's no basis of comparison. Still, McKay doesn't sound quite right. "What's wrong with your voices?" asks Christopher sharply.

"Nothing's wrong," McKay grates out. "Open the hell up."

The security monitors flip on, and the room is slightly brighter now. Christopher watches as Cadman leans back in a chair, staring smugly at a monitor. McKay whirls on her, snarling, and--

McKay doesn't snarl. He's an ass, yes, but he doesn't snarl. Christopher taps a few commands, praying they work, and brings color back online. He focuses the camera in on Cadman, who's waving at him. Her skin is a deep blue, her fingernails are now wickedly sharp-looking claws, and her dusky yellow eyes all give Christopher pause.

"What--" Christopher gulps. "What happened to you two?"

"Not a mutiny," snaps McKay.

"I'm not opening the door," states Christopher, his voice flat. "You've turned into aliens."

McKay looks over at Cadman, who meets his eyes in a flip grin. She hauls a duffel bag out from under her workstation and unzips it, not looking away from McKay the whole time. The look he gives her when she starts pulling out small, gray pieces of--

"Are those plastic explosives?" asks Christopher, his eyes widening. "You can't possibly be planning on murdering me."

"Gotta blow the door," says Cadman, her voice cheerful, despite its roughness. The woman's insane. "You could starve to death in there otherwise."

"I'm adequately supplied," says Christopher. He swipes at his forehead with the back of his hand. "I've got enough to last until the Daedalus returns and transports me out of here."

McKay thinks this is funny, or at least, that's the only explanation Christopher has for the chittering sound he and Cadman are making.

"I've made a record of events," says Christopher. "I'm going to send it to the Daedalus via subspace radio as soon as they enter range."

Cadman ignores him and chirps - she actually chirps - with glee as she starts hooking wiring to her plastic explosives. Christopher has always known she was unbalanced, but this isn't a good time to be proven right. McKay isn't going to appreciate it; he's standing next to Cadman making silent, impatient gestures.

When Cadman winks at Christopher through the monitors, he flinches. "Please tell me you didn't just try flirting with me," he snaps into his radio.

It's almost a relief that she rolls her eyes at him.

"What happened to you two?" asks Christopher. "How did you mutate into things?"

Cadman hisses into her radio as McKay snarls. "Oh, look, Rodney," says Cadman, pretending to pout. "Kavanagh hates us."

"This isn't news," says Rodney, his voice gravelly. "Maybe you should stop needling. Elizabeth wants him."

The news that Weir's behind this isn't surprising. Christopher can't believe any of these people willingly went through some kind of genetic rewriting process, but he believes that Weir could coerce them into it.

"Maybe he should grow a thicker skin," rasps Laura.

"We're trying to help with that," growls Rodney.

Christopher slams his hand down on the video controls, shutting off the feed. He breathes heavily, then rips his earpiece out as alien chittering feeds through it.

***

Rodney _kind of stupid of you_glares at Laura as she chitters in laughter. _Just mad Zelenka's working on the control tower._ With a roll of his eyes _why does he get to have all the fun?_ Rodney starts tapping on the keyboard.

Elizabeth sends a soothing _behave_ hum through the hive, but Laura _god, get over yourself_ brushes it off as Rodney stares. _Elizabeth said..._

They hear a scraping sound from beyond the doors, and their heads whip around. _Idiot, never should've hired him._ Elizabeth and Laura are in complete agreement with Rodney, their thoughts _his resume forgot to list 'professional asshole' on it_ sharp-edged with frustration. Laura starts molding the C4, affixing it to the door along with blast caps.

The tapping of Rodney's fingers on his laptop is distracting _what're you doing?_, and Laura set the last blast cap in place, then turned around _blowing Kavanagh all to hell_ to smirk at Rodney.

Rodney slams his laptop shut _she didn't say--_, and Laura saunters over to him, leans down on the counter _so?_ She drums her clawed fingernails on the desk _impatient_ until it sinks in that they need to leave.

_Elizabeth's going to be so pissed at you._ Plans for repairs run through Rodney's mind, as Elizabeth's attention turns to them. Laura shoves Rodney out the door _you didn't want him in the hive anyway_, closes it behind them, and they move, lightning-fast, down the hallway, to the transporter.

Seconds after they're safe in a far distant area of the city, they feel the vibrations of the explosion thrumming through Atlantis. Elizabeth's coldly furious, but Laura just laughs. She'll deal with Weir's anger after they meet up with Zelenka and take the control tower.

\--end--


End file.
